Instruments

[DATE]

Dear [PANEL PARTICIPANT NAME]:

First, I wish to thank you for your recent participation in a national study conducted by the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) and sponsored by the Census Bureau. Your responses have contributed to establishing a better understanding of individuals’ attitudes toward government programs and influences on participation in community activities.

I am also writing to ask for your continued help with this important research study being conducted by the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago. In the next few weeks, an interviewer from NORC will contact your household and request another appointment to interview you.

The survey is administered in a similar format and will ask about your current awareness of government programs and the means through which individuals might learn more about such programs. Questions will deal with media use, community activities, and on-going advertisement campaigns. The survey will take about 30 minutes to complete and you will receive $20 as a token of appreciation for your participation. Your participation in this study is voluntary and you may refuse to answer any question.

If you would like to take part in the study immediately, please call the NORC project hotline toll-free at 1-XXX-XXX-XXXX. You can also call this number to learn more about the study and what you will be asked.

For more information, feel free to contact me via e-mail at [PROJECT EMAIL DOMAIN@norc.uchicago.edu] or visit our website at: http://www.norc.org. If you have any questions about this research study or about your role in it you may also contact Kathleen Parks, NORC’s Internal Review Board administrator, at 1-866-309-0542.

We are grateful for your continuing participation and we look forward to speaking with you again soon.

Sincerely,

Chet Bowie

Project Director

National Opinion Research Center

Why are you doing this study?

This study will help the Census Bureau to determine the effectiveness of ongoing campaigns and better tailor future programs to the realities of changing American communities. NORC was brought on as a trusted, independent evaluation agency.

Why are you asking me to participate again?

We are asking a certain number of previous respondents to share their thoughts on similar or identical questions over the course of a year. This allows us to better track changes in awareness of government programs in response to shifting external factors.

Who sees my answers?

Survey findings are put into summary reports that contain no names or other personal information that could identify you. Everyone who works on the study and comes into contact with sensitive data must receive Special Sworn Status with the Census Bureau and sign an oath under the penalty of law that promises they will not divulge your confidential information. Your personal identifying information such as your name, address and phone number are never publicly released and are only accessible to a limited number of trained and certified project staff.

How do you protect my information?

Your answers will be used in statistical form only. Your name and identifying information will never be released to the public. We are conducting this survey under the authority of Title 13, United States Code. Section 9 of this law requires us to keep all information about you and your household strictly confidential. We may use this information only for statistical purposes. Title 13, along with other strict U.S. privacy laws, require that we protect your information and maintain confidentiality. Each project team member is required to complete Title 13 Confidentiality Training and have taken a sworn oath under penalty of law to protect your confidentiality.

If you have questions about your rights as a study participant, you may call Kathleen Parks, the NORC Institutional Review Board Administrator, toll free, at 866-309-0542.

Can I call you to participate?

Yes, if you would like to take part in the study now, please call NORC toll-free at 1-XXX-XXX-XXXX. You can also call this number to learn more about the study, what you will be asked, and how we protect your privacy and the confidentiality of your answers.